The present invention relates to the launching of a projectile, rocket or missile, and more particularly to a system to assist in such launch to lessen the necessary fuel load during the initial phases of the launch.
The launching of projectiles, rockets or missiles usually entails the ignition or firing of a propellant creating a thrust to raise the launch vehicle as it overcomes the forces of gravity. This initial phase requires that the vehicle move from rest and is accelerated to a critical velocity to permit the effective operation of internal controls to stabilize the vehicle as it continues to accelerate. The fuel expended during this initial acceleration requires that the acceleration forces exceed the weight of the vehicle including the onboard fuel; a reduction in weight of the vehicle lessens the required acceleration force and thus the fuel required to create the force. However, fuel calculations are predicated on the total weight of the vehicle including all unused fuel onboard.
Therefore, a reduction in the fuel load will reduce the requirement for onboard fuel since the total weight of the vehicle before launch has been lowered. If a supplemental acceleration system could be employed to impart acceleration forces to the vehicle, during the initial phases of its launch, the onboard fuel requirements would be lowered and the overall fuel requirements for the launch would be reduced.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system for assisting the initial phases of the launch of a launch vehicle such as a projectile, rocket or missile.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system to impart supplemental acceleration forces to a vehicle during launch.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a system for supplementing the required thrust or force to create acceleration to launch a vehicle without the use of onboard fuel.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a launch assisting system to impart an acceleration force to a launch vehicle to supplement the acceleration forces being created by the thrust of the onboard propulsion system.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description thereof proceeds.
Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an airtight chamber is provided having a flexible elastic membrane extending across the open top thereof with a supporting platform positioned at the top center of the chamber. A cocking mechanism is secured to the platform for withdrawing the platform into the chamber thereby stretching the flexible elastic membrane. As the platform is being withdrawn into the airtight chamber, a compressor withdraws air from the chamber and stores the compressed air in a holding tank. Thus, as the cocking mechanism withdraws the platform, the flexible elastic membrane stretches and the air in the chamber is removed and stored in a compressed form in a holding tank. A launch vehicle mounted on the platform is thus lowered into the chamber as the platform is withdrawn. Supplemental force members such as steel cables may also be secured to the platform above the flexible elastic membrane and be lowered with the platform against tension forces applied to the supplemental force members.
At a predetermined time and position within the chamber, the electromagnetic coupling holding the platform in its depressed position within the chamber is de-energized thus releasing the platform and permitting the force of the flexible elastic membrane, and forces supplied by supplemental force members, to apply accelerating forces to the launch vehicle mounted on the platform. Simultaneously, the compressed air previously stored in a holding tank is released into the chamber to provide a positive pressure in the chamber; the positive pressure creates an upward force on the flexible membrane and the platform mounted thereon. Thus, the expanding air contributes ti the force applied the launch vehicle.